Friday, August 7, 2009
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
A Gran Old Friend
While digging out all my Darth Vaders last week I came across a bag of assorted small toys. I dumped the contents on the table and sorted trough the Star Wars guns and lightsabers, batarangs, buttons, micro Starfleet vessels, and whatnot. I then came across a friend from my childhood, none other than the Starsky and Hutch Ford Gran Torino from Corgi.
When I was a kid I think it's safe to say I was a little obsessed with this car, well the actual car on the television show. I went so far as to cut out the white areas of stickers to make the stickers that ran down the sides of the car and over the top to make my own version with whatever red car I had in my toy box. Still nothing would come close to owning the actual car. During one trip to TG&Y I came across this bad boy and with a little begging and pleading with mom, it followed me home.
It's seen better days, but I think it can give most a run for their money. I think I might be able to fashion some new decals and I've been thinking about doing it right and repainting it. Still the scratches and dings do tell the story of a car that was loved and still is, so maybe just the stickers for now.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Stitch Wars
I hope it is okay I show this picture, if not I will take it down immediately. I just wanted to point out a show going on in Florida at bear and bird gallery. Stitch Wars! Featuring all sorts of great hand made art based on your favorite movie series and mine, Star Wars.
Anna, our Spockcation host that took Spock to the most awesome Tiki party ever, brought this to my attention, and added that she has four entries in the show. Plus, another of Spock's host which everyone will see photos from her in the future has a piece in the show as well.
Here are the links to the Flickr Photo Set and the bear and bird gallery so you can check out some more of this really cool show. Make sure to look for A. Pants and Sarah J. Pierce to see the art submitted by our own Spock hosts, and enjoy!
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Vader Invasion: Day 8
Well, this is it, Day 8 of my contribution to Vader Invasion. LEon thanks for coming up with such a great idea, glad I could participate it's been fun, I enjoyed going through some of my older collectables and I learned I have way too much stuff in my collection, not just the Vader's the overall collection, I'll have to do something about that.
Well onto the last of my Vaders...
No. 43: Darth Vader Topps Pog
Every time I think or say Pog I think of that episode of the Simpsons where Millhouse says "Look! It's Alf in Pog form!"
This Vader is actually part of a little promo sheet of six pogs. My son picked this up for me when he was little, and it has remained and will always remain in the collection.
No. 44: 2004 Vintage Original Trilogy Collection Darth Vader
Another of my favorite Vaders, I was so onboard with the concept of this collection, newer scuplts on classic cards packaged in a protective bubble. That was until they started re-releasing these things in multi packs (which I bought, duh) and then improving the articulation on most of the other figures and making them a part of the basic figure lines. If it was these that got the whole articulation ball a rolling then I guess I'm c glad I supported the line.
No. 45: 2004 Original trilogy Collection Darth Vader
This was a "Secret Santa" present from work. I was having a hard time even locating this figure and my Secret Santa strolls into the toy aisle during the busiest part of the season and picks it up like it was no big deal. She even told me she saw Darth Vader and thought I might like it, that she thought I was into Star Wars or something. I thought the package was so neat, with the Stormtroopers in the background I never opened it. Thanks Secret Santa!
No. 46: Revenge of the Sith Darth Vader
I actually like this figure, his Lightsaber Attack is really not that bad, it reminds me of the old Superpowers line from kenner, he's a pretty solid figure, and I like the helmet sculpt.
Plus that packaging is all cool looking with the flames. It reminds me of when I was young back in 1978 and we would all discuss how Darth Vader became trapped in that mask, we had heard he fell into a Volcano and they crammed what was left of him into the suit. Wow, we were pretty close.
No. 47: 30th Anniversary Darth Vader
I picked this up because as I have seen elsewhere the base, being Obi-Wan's robe from the duel in Star Wars was just plain genius. I left it packaged because you can see Obi-Wan as he squared off against Darth Vader in the reflection of his helmet on the package. No duplicate bought on this one, just this one.
No. 48: 500th Figure Darth Vader
Every so often Hasbro will mark milestones of all the figures they released to date with a special one, 300 was a cool Boba Fett. they do it for Star Wars and did it for Batman when they held the license. I'm not sure if they do it with anything else. Darth Vader was number 500 back around 2005.
I won one as a door prize within a few days of picking one up on clearance for the collection. I kept one packaged and the other opened and eventually given away.
No. 49: Darth Vader Lightsaber
I kept this because it reminded me of when my son and I would go outside in the yard when it turned dark and have lightsaber duels. He of course had the green Return of the Jedi Luke's lightsaber and I had this one. They have since made better versions and even a replica that looks like it stepped out of the movie, but I will always think of this one as being one of the best.
There you have it, my Vader Invasion is pretty much complete, unless I can dig up one more item to round it up to 50, maybe, maybe. Thanks again LEon and everyone that came by for all my Vaders, I really enjoyed this and hopefully we can do it again... but maybe a character that I only have a few of.
Well onto the last of my Vaders...
No. 43: Darth Vader Topps Pog
Every time I think or say Pog I think of that episode of the Simpsons where Millhouse says "Look! It's Alf in Pog form!"
This Vader is actually part of a little promo sheet of six pogs. My son picked this up for me when he was little, and it has remained and will always remain in the collection.
No. 44: 2004 Vintage Original Trilogy Collection Darth Vader
Another of my favorite Vaders, I was so onboard with the concept of this collection, newer scuplts on classic cards packaged in a protective bubble. That was until they started re-releasing these things in multi packs (which I bought, duh) and then improving the articulation on most of the other figures and making them a part of the basic figure lines. If it was these that got the whole articulation ball a rolling then I guess I'm c glad I supported the line.
No. 45: 2004 Original trilogy Collection Darth Vader
This was a "Secret Santa" present from work. I was having a hard time even locating this figure and my Secret Santa strolls into the toy aisle during the busiest part of the season and picks it up like it was no big deal. She even told me she saw Darth Vader and thought I might like it, that she thought I was into Star Wars or something. I thought the package was so neat, with the Stormtroopers in the background I never opened it. Thanks Secret Santa!
No. 46: Revenge of the Sith Darth Vader
I actually like this figure, his Lightsaber Attack is really not that bad, it reminds me of the old Superpowers line from kenner, he's a pretty solid figure, and I like the helmet sculpt.
Plus that packaging is all cool looking with the flames. It reminds me of when I was young back in 1978 and we would all discuss how Darth Vader became trapped in that mask, we had heard he fell into a Volcano and they crammed what was left of him into the suit. Wow, we were pretty close.
No. 47: 30th Anniversary Darth Vader
I picked this up because as I have seen elsewhere the base, being Obi-Wan's robe from the duel in Star Wars was just plain genius. I left it packaged because you can see Obi-Wan as he squared off against Darth Vader in the reflection of his helmet on the package. No duplicate bought on this one, just this one.
No. 48: 500th Figure Darth Vader
Every so often Hasbro will mark milestones of all the figures they released to date with a special one, 300 was a cool Boba Fett. they do it for Star Wars and did it for Batman when they held the license. I'm not sure if they do it with anything else. Darth Vader was number 500 back around 2005.
I won one as a door prize within a few days of picking one up on clearance for the collection. I kept one packaged and the other opened and eventually given away.
No. 49: Darth Vader Lightsaber
I kept this because it reminded me of when my son and I would go outside in the yard when it turned dark and have lightsaber duels. He of course had the green Return of the Jedi Luke's lightsaber and I had this one. They have since made better versions and even a replica that looks like it stepped out of the movie, but I will always think of this one as being one of the best.
There you have it, my Vader Invasion is pretty much complete, unless I can dig up one more item to round it up to 50, maybe, maybe. Thanks again LEon and everyone that came by for all my Vaders, I really enjoyed this and hopefully we can do it again... but maybe a character that I only have a few of.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Vader Invasion: Day 7
You knew this day was coming, Action Figure Day of the Vader Invasion, though I put action figures through out this is an Action Figure Heavy Day.
No. 37: 1998 Freeze Frame Darth Vader
If I am not mistaken this is the first time you could pull the helmet off Darth Vader and view him with your own eyes. A nice figure and around these parts hard to find. I remember stopping by a Toys R Us and finding that they just stocked the Star Wars section, then you could afford to by two of every figure, and I could usually get about 6 to 8 figures a pay check then, now you have to take out a loan to buy one!
This Vader came with a little slide which was a frame from the one of the movies. I have a whole bag of these slides, and I thought it was one of the best pack-ins just because you could scan them and have fun in Photoshop with Star Wars scenes.
No. 38: 1998 "Duel Grip" Flashback Darth Vader
I'm actually surprised I have this figure, seeing how I sold off my packaged version of him and I believe I sold the little pack in that has a picture of Darth Vader, then you pull a tab to reveal little Annie! Those were the days just before the Phantom Menace, we all wanted to see anything with characters from the new movie.
No. 39: 1999 Comm Tech Darth Vader
I like this Vader for two reasons, one the pose is sweet and reminds me of the old publicity stills from 1977, and two "Now you can hear the figures talk!" This was of course if you purchased the Comm Tech reader, which I did, and I kept, because not only did they release some of the Classic characters with comm tech they released the Phantom Menace figure with Comm Tech!
The thing I always thought was weird was he had no lightsaber, but he did have a cool interrogation droid. Now we will discuss the location of the hidden rebel base.
No. 40: 2000 Power of the Jedi Dagobah Darth Vader
This is the image of Darth Vader that Luke encountered while on Dagobah. You know the one, were he had to go into the cave to confront the Dark Side, where Yoda told him he wouldn't need his weapons and he ends up fighting this ghostly Vader and when he lops the head off his face is exposed. Chills still run down my spine. Brrrrrrrrrr.
No. 41: 2002 Saga Collection Bespin Darth Vader
"Luke... I am your father." This one has a feature that when you press the button on his back he is supposed to make a chopping action so he can chop the piece of cloud city that came with him in half, I never could get it to work, but he does have that cool pose where he reaches out for Luke. "No, No, Noooooooooo!"
No: 42: 2003 Saga Collection Throne Room Duel Darth Vader
Luke finally confronts Darth Vader in the Emperor's throne room on the second Death Star and Vader does this cool move where he just tosses his lightsaber at him. So who wouldn't want a Vader that could throw his lightsaber? Thing is it never really went as far as I thought it would, and his arm is really loose so it can fling it when the figure turns at the waist. This guy will not even stand without the borrowed stand. My lamest Vader in the collection. His Helmet comes off, again I think since the first time they have beaten this horse to death.
Well, that's day 7, I have one more day to go. I hope you will join us for the last of Vader Invasion here on Eclectorama.
No. 37: 1998 Freeze Frame Darth Vader
If I am not mistaken this is the first time you could pull the helmet off Darth Vader and view him with your own eyes. A nice figure and around these parts hard to find. I remember stopping by a Toys R Us and finding that they just stocked the Star Wars section, then you could afford to by two of every figure, and I could usually get about 6 to 8 figures a pay check then, now you have to take out a loan to buy one!
This Vader came with a little slide which was a frame from the one of the movies. I have a whole bag of these slides, and I thought it was one of the best pack-ins just because you could scan them and have fun in Photoshop with Star Wars scenes.
No. 38: 1998 "Duel Grip" Flashback Darth Vader
I'm actually surprised I have this figure, seeing how I sold off my packaged version of him and I believe I sold the little pack in that has a picture of Darth Vader, then you pull a tab to reveal little Annie! Those were the days just before the Phantom Menace, we all wanted to see anything with characters from the new movie.
No. 39: 1999 Comm Tech Darth Vader
I like this Vader for two reasons, one the pose is sweet and reminds me of the old publicity stills from 1977, and two "Now you can hear the figures talk!" This was of course if you purchased the Comm Tech reader, which I did, and I kept, because not only did they release some of the Classic characters with comm tech they released the Phantom Menace figure with Comm Tech!
The thing I always thought was weird was he had no lightsaber, but he did have a cool interrogation droid. Now we will discuss the location of the hidden rebel base.
No. 40: 2000 Power of the Jedi Dagobah Darth Vader
This is the image of Darth Vader that Luke encountered while on Dagobah. You know the one, were he had to go into the cave to confront the Dark Side, where Yoda told him he wouldn't need his weapons and he ends up fighting this ghostly Vader and when he lops the head off his face is exposed. Chills still run down my spine. Brrrrrrrrrr.
No. 41: 2002 Saga Collection Bespin Darth Vader
"Luke... I am your father." This one has a feature that when you press the button on his back he is supposed to make a chopping action so he can chop the piece of cloud city that came with him in half, I never could get it to work, but he does have that cool pose where he reaches out for Luke. "No, No, Noooooooooo!"
No: 42: 2003 Saga Collection Throne Room Duel Darth Vader
Luke finally confronts Darth Vader in the Emperor's throne room on the second Death Star and Vader does this cool move where he just tosses his lightsaber at him. So who wouldn't want a Vader that could throw his lightsaber? Thing is it never really went as far as I thought it would, and his arm is really loose so it can fling it when the figure turns at the waist. This guy will not even stand without the borrowed stand. My lamest Vader in the collection. His Helmet comes off, again I think since the first time they have beaten this horse to death.
Well, that's day 7, I have one more day to go. I hope you will join us for the last of Vader Invasion here on Eclectorama.
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